


Where There Is No Light

by GenericAlien



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: AU, Aquarium AU, Fluff, M/M, Prinxiety - Freeform, background logicality later, slight existential angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 04:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18887083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericAlien/pseuds/GenericAlien
Summary: (Originally posted to my tumblr @haveyourselfamerrylittlebitchmas)“I think there’s something in common with all aquariums, though. We still have no idea which fish are at the bottom of either body of water, you know? The ocean is extremely deep and we could never discover it all, but there’s a bit of that in the great lakes too... Did you know there’s a bottomless pit in Lake Superior?”





	Where There Is No Light

Virgil had been in nearly every day that week, save for Wednesday. It was hard to not notice the black clothes against the vibrant blue backgrounds. It was hard to ignore the subtle little gasps he made when a school of fish would come out from behind a reef. It was hard for Roman to not notice every little thing about him, really.

Roman did know this man: he actually quite liked him: He was always polite, would greet Roman on his way in and out, and sometimes even helped direct people to other areas of the aquarium when they had mistakenly believed he was an employee. When Roman had first met the regular, he seemed rather grumpy; Irritated and jittery, he made a poor first impression. Over time, however, he became the highlight of the aquarium managers day. Finally, Roman had got up the nerve to talk to him. He knew next to nothing about him aside from his name and the fact that he loved looking at the fish, but he was sure he didn’t need much more than that to strike up a conversation.

Fish he knew; Roman knew fish.

“You’re in here quite often.” Roman observed. Virgil shrugged slightly.

“I like aquariums. It kind of reminds me of home,” Virgil admitted, “even if this one is a million times more impressive.”

Roman took a moment to be touched by the compliment to the business he helped run before continuing their chat. “Back home? So you’re not from around here?”

“No. I’m from the Midwest. Our aquarium only has fish from the great lakes.” Virgil said, leaning towards the glass to get a better view of the yellow tang.

“That must still be pretty neat! Some freshwater stingrays and sturgeons, right?”

“Yeah, it’s… pretty cool. But there’s nothing bright and pretty there.”

Roman was slightly surprised to hear that coming from the gloomiest and doom-iest person he had ever seen set foot on the establishment, but he resolved to not judge a book by its cover. While thinking of something to say, Virgil pipes up again.

“I think there’s something in common with all aquariums, though. We still have no idea which fish are at the bottom of either body of water, you know? The ocean is extremely deep and we could never discover it all, but there’s a bit of that in the great lakes too. Did you know there’s a bottomless pit in Lake Superior?” Virgil asked. Roman shook his head and listened intently. “Well, it’s called the Devil’s Kettle. Half the river is a waterfall, and half the river just… dips into a bottomless pit. Scientists have dropped stuff in it for research purposes and it never resurfaces. Ping pong balls, dye, you name it. It makes me wonder what kind of fish are down there.”

“Something similar to the blind cave tetra, I’d imagine.” Roman nodded, making a mental note to Google ‘Devil’s Kettle’ later.

“That’s what my theory was too. I like to think maybe there’s something colorful down there though. Even if it’s not accurate to evolutionary patterns.” Virgil shrugged with a chuckle. 

“Maybe there’s some bio-luminescence. Or at the very least they’ll fluoresce a vibrant red?” Roman suggested, a hopeful tone to his voice.

“Bio-luminescence. I like the idea of it. Maybe there are some glow in the dark fish there.” Virgil smiled. Making eye contact with roman for the first time in the entire conversation, he added a quick “Thanks, Roman.”

“Don’t mention it.” He said. The duo turned back to the large tank in front of them and looked at the reef fish.

Roman thought about what they discussed; He thought about the boy standing next to him. ‘In a shroud so dark, there must be living light within,’ Roman decided. While he was 1,500 miles away, and could probably never find the light in the Devil’s Kettle, he determined that he may in fact be able to find Virgil’s bio-luminescence.


End file.
